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I, George M. Urban, Chairman of the Albemarle County Republican Committee, do hereby issue this call for a meeting of the Committee to be held at ACRC Headquarters, 2132 Berkmar Drive, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22901, on Thursday, February 22, 2018, at 6 PM. The agenda shall be as follows:

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Scottsville, VA – Congressman Tom Garrett has officially filed his paperwork with the 5th District Republican Committee and the Virginia State Board of Elections, making him the first and only candidate in the race for the Republican Nomination thus far.

Congressman Garrett issued the following statement:

“It has been an incredible honor to serve the people of the 5th Congressional district in Washington, sitting in the same seat as such great Virginians as James Madison and John Randolph.” Said Congressman Garrett. “I will continue to work every day to bring more jobs and opportunity to the 5th district and lower taxes for hardworking Virginians.”

Congressman Garrett was first elected in 2016, winning with 58% of the vote. Before serving in Congress, Tom was a State Senator representing a Central Virginia district from 2011-2016. Tom also served as an artilleryman in the United States Army for 6 years, and as a Commonwealth’s Attorney in Louisa County.

Garrett continued, “I am running for re-election because there is more work to be done. We have passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which has started to bring jobs back to Southside Virginia. Amthor International announced a $7 Million expansion in Pittsylvania just a couple weeks ago. I will continue to defend our Constitutional rights and work to secure our borders. I will continue to fight to lower taxes and bring greater prosperity to the people of the 5th district. I welcome any opponents to join me as gladiators in the arena of ideas ask again for the votes and support that previously resulted in the highest contested vote total in the history of the 5th district.”

The 2016 presidential campaign was marked by schisms in both major political parties that continue today.

On the Republican side, Donald Trump ran on positions in many respects at odds with those traditionally taken by the party’s congressional leadership. The Republican Platform and most significant Republican legislative initiatives have largely ignored Trump’s positions.

It’s not just a two-way division, either. The Senate Republican Conference includes numerous disruptors such as Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Mike Lee and the John McCain/Lindsay Graham team. The House Republican Conference is in splinters, with establishment folks like Speaker Paul Ryan pitted against a variety of groups with views different from his.

On the Democratic side, while the Clintonistas have largely been sidelined, the Berniecrats are far from ascendant. Rather, a battle rages over whether the party should (a) concentrate on mobilizing the Left, (b) reach out to the disaffected white voters Trump captured, (c) court the moderate Republicans and swing voters Trump turned off or (d) employ whatever strategy seems to work for whichever district or state is being discussed.

A very different way of framing the questions facing the two parties, and one Terry will address, is this: “Who’s going to work to restore the American Dream?”

Instructor Bio:

Terry Cooper, a native of Charlottesville and a graduate of Princeton and UVA Law, is a long-time Republican political consultant. For more than 30 years, he has done research for Republican political campaigns. He has worked in all 50 states, in campaigns ranging from U.S. Senator and governor down to local races.

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Counter protesters walk away from a smoke canister during a Unite the Right rally protest over the name change of Lee Park on Saturday Aug. 12, 2017 in Charlottesville, Va. SHABAN ATHUMAN/TIMES-DISPATCH

Like millions of Americans, we were shocked and sickened by recent events in Charlottesville. On Aug. 12, our community saw violence and chaos on our streets and we now seek answers. Law enforcement and first responders deserve gratitude for their extraordinary service that weekend. Nothing can diminish the service and sacrifice of those who risked — and those who gave — their lives to avert additional violence.

Nonetheless, it is undeniable that the intelligence, planning, command, control, and implementation of law enforcement’s response to these events were flawed. Tim Heaphy, a lawyer at a private firm and a former U.S. Attorney, was among the first to solicit a role in assessing these events. However, in our opinion, any attorney representing the city of Charlottesville, a central actor in — and named civil party to — what took place is not equipped to provide the credible and independent investigation to which our community and country are entitled.

Put simply, private attorneys are ethically bound to represent the interests of their clients, not the public. Private attorneys owe clients broad and far-reaching duties of loyalty, confidentiality, and zealous representation. It is plainly unreasonable to expect a lawyer representing a client that planned and coordinated the response to the events of August to publicly deliver an independent assessment of those events. Moreover, any report will be reviewed by a city manager and council unlikely to waive confidentiality if doing so casts them or the Charlottesville in a negative light.

In addition, the state has denied access to key information, attaching priority to its own investigation. Law enforcement agencies have had no obligation to cooperate, and other parties are unlikely to voluntarily disclose adverse information. Other actors have even sought to establish investigative bodies of their own. This piecemeal approach is not only unhelpful, it frustrates objective assessment and the public accountability that comes with it.

The poignancy of August will not diminish over time, but the clarity of these events inevitably will. To ensure transparency and timely accountability, Virginia’s governor and General Assembly should authorize a balanced panel of respected, bipartisan professionals to assess the official preparation and response to these events. Panel members should be free of professional bias, personal interest, and future political aspiration.

Of crucial importance, the panel should be vested with legal authority and compulsory process, including subpoena power, access to information, compelling witness statements under oath, and other tools essential to rendering a comprehensive and credible report to the public. The composition of the 911 Commission — and the quality of its findings — may serve as a potential model for a Virginia panel.

We must never allow ourselves to be defined by those whose beliefs are anathema to who we are. What the world saw this summer was neither Charlottesville nor Virginia. And it was not America. America is about faith, freedom, equality, unity, and justice. Few tasks can more urgently uphold our values, and honor the memory of those who died in our city, than the creation of a truly independent bipartisan panel to find out what went wrong — and why. Charlottesville, and America, deserve no less.

Robert Tracci is the Albemarle County commonwealth’s attorney. He previously served as special assistant U.S. attorney, deputy assistant attorney general and chief legislative counsel and parliamentarian to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee.

The Rev. Alvin Edwards is pastor at Mt. Zion First African Baptist Church in Charlottesville. He established the Charlottesville Clergy Collective, whose mission is to establish, develop and promote racial unity within the faith leadership of the Charlottesville-Albemarle region. Edwards is a former Charlottesville city councilor and former member of the Charlottesville School Board. He served as Charlottesville’s mayor from 1990 to 1992.

Like millions of Americans, we were shocked and sickened by recent events in Charlottesville. On Aug. 12, our community saw violence and chaos on our streets and we now seek answers. Law enforcement and first responders deserve gratitude for their extraordinary service that weekend. Nothing can diminish the service and sacrifice of those who risked — and those who gave — their lives to avert additional violence.

Nonetheless, it is undeniable that the intelligence, planning, command, control, and implementation of law enforcement’s response to these events were flawed. Tim Heaphy, a lawyer at a private firm and a former U.S. Attorney, was among the first to solicit a role in assessing these events. However, in our opinion, any attorney representing the city of Charlottesville, a central actor in — and named civil party to — what took place is not equipped to provide the credible and independent investigation to which our community and country are entitled.

Put simply, private attorneys are ethically bound to represent the interests of their clients, not the public. Private attorneys owe clients broad and far-reaching duties of loyalty, confidentiality, and zealous representation. It is plainly unreasonable to expect a lawyer representing a client that planned and coordinated the response to the events of August to publicly deliver an independent assessment of those events. Moreover, any report will be reviewed by a city manager and council unlikely to waive confidentiality if doing so casts them or the Charlottesville in a negative light.

In addition, the state has denied access to key information, attaching priority to its own investigation. Law enforcement agencies have had no obligation to cooperate, and other parties are unlikely to voluntarily disclose adverse information. Other actors have even sought to establish investigative bodies of their own. This piecemeal approach is not only unhelpful, it frustrates objective assessment and the public accountability that comes with it.

The poignancy of August will not diminish over time, but the clarity of these events inevitably will. To ensure transparency and timely accountability, Virginia’s governor and General Assembly should authorize a balanced panel of respected, bipartisan professionals to assess the official preparation and response to these events. Panel members should be free of professional bias, personal interest, and future political aspiration.

Of crucial importance, the panel should be vested with legal authority and compulsory process, including subpoena power, access to information, compelling witness statements under oath, and other tools essential to rendering a comprehensive and credible report to the public. The composition of the 911 Commission — and the quality of its findings — may serve as a potential model for a Virginia panel.

We must never allow ourselves to be defined by those whose beliefs are anathema to who we are. What the world saw this summer was neither Charlottesville nor Virginia. And it was not America. America is about faith, freedom, equality, unity, and justice. Few tasks can more urgently uphold our values, and honor the memory of those who died in our city, than the creation of a truly independent bipartisan panel to find out what went wrong — and why. Charlottesville, and America, deserve no less.

Robert Tracci is the Albemarle County commonwealth’s attorney. He previously served as special assistant U.S. attorney, deputy assistant attorney general and chief legislative counsel and parliamentarian to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee.

The Rev. Alvin Edwards is pastor at Mt. Zion First African Baptist Church in Charlottesville. He established the Charlottesville Clergy Collective, whose mission is to establish, develop and promote racial unity within the faith leadership of the Charlottesville-Albemarle region. Edwards is a former Charlottesville city councilor and former member of the Charlottesville School Board. He served as Charlottesville’s mayor from 1990 to 1992.

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I, George M. Urban, Chairman of the Albemarle County Republican Committee, do hereby issue this call for a meeting of the Committee to be held at ACRC Headquarters, 2132 Berkmar Drive, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22901, on Tuesday, November 14, 2017, at 6:00 PM.

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The Senior Statesmen of Virginia will sponsor a candidate forum for the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors and the Albemarle County School Board. Candidates for contested Albemarle County Board of Supervisors and School Board seats will share their views and respond to questions from the audience. FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

CANDIDATES FOR ALBEMARLE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SAMUEL MILLER DISTRICT

JOHN LOWRY (R) lives in North Garden. His background is in financial management. He is
also a former chair of the Albemarle County Economic Development Authority. John is a
runner and a member of the Albemarle Pipes and Drums Corps. http://www.lowryforalbemarle.com

LIZ PALMER (D), the incumbent supervisor seeking a second term, lives in Ivy. She is a
graduate of Virginia Tech and the Auburn University Veterinary School. She served as chair of
the Board in 2016. She operates a veterinary hospice for companion animals.http://lizpalmerforsupervisor.vote

CANDIDATES FOR ALBEMARLE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD RIO DISTRICT

KATRINA CALLSEN is a graduate of Yale, the Boston University School of Education and U.Va. Law. She is a former teacher with Teach for America. She volunteerswithKidsGiveBack. http://www.katrinacallsen.com

MARY McINTYRE is an alumna of UNC –Greensboro who holds master’sdegrees from the University of Michigan and the University of
Hawaii –Manoa. She has taught in North Carolina, Virginia and Hawaii and volunteered at a school in Tanzania. https://www.mary4albemarleschools.com

CANDIDATES FOR SAMUEL MILLER DISTRICT

GRAHAM PAIGE, the incumbent seeking his first full term, resides in Esmont. He is a graduate of Hampton University with a master’sdegree
from U.Va. He is a retired Albemarle County teacher. He is a trustee, adult Sunday-School teacher and organist at New Green Mountain
Baptist Church.http://paigeforschoolboard.weebly.com

JULIAN WATERS is a 2017 graduate of Western Albemarle making his first run for elective office. He is active in education-policy issues
and a regular blood donor who founded the Model Aviations and Drone Club at Western Albemarle.https://juliandwaters.com

SSV Board Member Terry Cooper will moderate the Board of Supervisors forum, and SSV Vice President Rich DeMong will moderate the School Board forum.

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On Wednesday, September 13, from 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., the Senior Statesmen of Virginia will host a candidate forum.
♦ From 1:30 – 2:30, the forum will feature Delegate Steve Landes and his Democratic challenger, Angela Lynn.
♦ From 2:30 – 3:30 Rob Bell will take the stage with his Democratic challenger, Kellen Squire.

The forum will feature questions from the audience through a moderator. It is always helpful to see friendly faces – they’ve been decisively outnumbered in recent years, so I hope you can come!

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As many of you know, I’m on the board of directors of the Senior Statesmen of America (“SSV”). At this morning’s monthly ACRC meeting I heard from several of you, including Del. Rob Bell, that the attendance at SSV programs is overwhelmingly liberal Democrats.

I have heard that often, and I’ve tried to help rectify the situation. For example, I send ACRC copies of all our monthly meeting notices and ACRC graciously posts them on its Web site so that ACRC members can be alerted in advance to upcoming events. Some of you can attest to how I’ve made personal appeals to you to attend our programs and join us so we can bring our program attendance to a better balance. And I have told the SSV board that SSV audiences have a reputation for being so biased that some Republican candidates have refused to appear before them. (That was news to them.)

Here’s another opportunity: At our December 13 meeting we’ll be electing or re-electing three or more people to SSV’s board of directors. At this point in time I don’t know how many vacancies there will be because we haven’t polled the existing board members to see how many want to continue.

I am by this letter soliciting ACRC members who would be interested in serving on the SSV board to join SSV (that’s a condition of serving on the board) and advise me that you’d like to serve.

The SSV board sets policy, makes operational decisions like where to hold our meetings and, probably most important, chooses the topics and speakers for our programs.

At the present time I am badly outnumbered. I am the only activist Republican on the ten-member board. Also on the board are Madison Cummings, former Democratic candidate for the Board of Supervisors; Bonnie Brewer, mother of former County Democratic Committee chair Richard Brewer; and Linda Perriello, mother of Tom. I regard all of them as friends and find them all easy to work with, but you can see that I’m indeed outnumbered. I believe that simply having more known Republicans on the board would help negate SSV’s reputation as a liberal Democratic bastion.

Regular Monthly Meetings: 2nd Saturday of the month

Please Note:

Monthly breakfasts are held on the

second Saturday each month at

ACRC Headquarters — 2132 Berkmar Drive
$5 per person – coffee and breakfast pastries
Come out and enjoy our headquarters! Everyone can mingle more freely and enjoy coffee and breakfast pastries for only $5. The presentation will begin at 9am.

Paid for and authorized by the Albemarle County Republican Committee. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. Donations are not deductiable for tax purposes and may be subject to campaign finance law reporting requirements.